See chest, Aaargh, I mean Sea Chest

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
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Don't know why I've got grapefruit and honeydews on the brain today, but here's a wee woodworking project I'm sure the whole crew will get a kick out of. :D
It's a pine sea chest, in which I can lock up all my personal "treasures" and keep sharp pointy things away from little hands as I travel about in Florida soon to spend time with family I've got scattered around the state.
The brass tacks and other brightwork are mostly decorative, the various boards that make up the chest being cut with a handsaw and cleaned up with my knife prior to being bored, glued, and pegged together (sheesh, that was a lot of pegs). The carved embellishment on the lid was done with a homemade gouge I fashioned from a square cut masonry nail, and the handles are knotted and spliced rope.
Tight, solid, attractive (if I may say so myself), and purpose built to fit neatly behind the seat of my trusty Ford Ranger as I "go a roving". The interior dimensions are 9 1/4" wide by 16 1/2" long by 11" tall, big enough to hold necessities and such, but not so big as to invite overpacking.
So mateys, how's that for a bit of sawing, whittling, and tapping pegs with a mallet? ;)

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Sarge
 

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Darn Nice !

Are you going to put a tray in her?

Once I get the mini-collapsing workbench I've been building completed a small sea chest was next on the list. I had been thinking 24 inches wide, 14 inches deep and high.

Simple hand tool useage is something worth picking up. (The nice thing about hand tools are that they don't wake the neighbors at 2 in the morning when you can't sleep) Traditional projects are best.
 
those are felt things, heh?

Sarge, you make a lot of stuff. Where do you put all this stuff?
I'm asking, because at the rate you're going.....
people usually open a store or become semi eccentric, flying the union jack flag and having too many cats....
You are either going to have customers knocking on that front door or Govt agents....

Seriously, always good stuff. Sometimes your projects lighten my load a little, just looking at them. We remember happiness.

munk
 
BruiseLeee said:
What are the two red things in the box?
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Bruise, I ran the hinge screws all the way through, trimmed them, and then peened them down with a hammer. Did that to make it not impossible, but at best very difficult and aggravating to anybody trying to open the chest by unscrewing the hinges. The two red things are pieces of dyed leather, glued over the peened screws to prevent anything inside the chest from getting scratched by the screws should the wood shrink and expose sharp edges.
You can see the peened hinge screws on the inside of the chest's lid, but I didn't need to cover them, since I was able to make a much neater job of 'em while the lid was still detached.

Sarge
 
those are felt things, heh?
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Felt things:o ;) ? Err, ummm. that's where my mind went when I read the thread title in the first place:D

I hope this doesn't sound wrong now, but Nice Chest Sarge:D :thumbup:
 
Ahrrr it is a fine chest . A wonderful satin finish on there . It be sure to attract admiration amd repel all unwelcome borders .
 
Lovely, as usual. When does your roving begin?

I much prefer using hand-tools to power-tools, when the project allows it. Much friendlier when working with my youngest lad ... The conversation's better when not shouting over a circular saw, and I'm less worried that a small finger or two might go astray.
 
Great work Sarge. A box is one of the most challenging things for a carpenter to learn to build. Looks like a goodun. Whadd ya seal it with?
 
aproy1101 said:
Great work Sarge. A box is one of the most challenging things for a carpenter to learn to build. Looks like a goodun. Whadd ya seal it with?
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A speciality in itself, Some cigar boxes are really works of art even.
 
Very cool!:thumbup:

I'm sorry but the int are wrong...should read " B.S "
and I still have not gotten my tracking number:D

:thumbup:
 
Josh Feltman said:
Nice work, Sarge. Looks solidly built. GMS--Got My Sharpthings?
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Should be G.O.M.S. for "Goofy Old Master Sergeant", but as it is the GMS stands for Gregory Michael Sikes, my, uh, "mild mannered alter ego". ;)

Sarge
 
Nice work. I really like your old school approach, down to making your own chisel to carve with. Very cool.
 
Sylvrfalcn said:
So mateys, how's that for a bit of sawing, whittling, and tapping pegs with a mallet? ;)
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Edge-jointing a board with a knife is very cool indeed, and a bit beyond my whittling ability. Any box or chest constructed by these methods will be much sought after in the centuries to come, according to antique stores in my area.

A while back I made a sea chest according to the specs of one a Royal Navy guy had in the 1800's (saw it in a book on chests). It was slapped together from 1/2" ply with biscuit splines and Tightbond II as an experimental piece to see if it would hold all my hunting stuff. It does, and has for the past couple years so the time is coming to make a "real" one by the way they were made in the 1800's.

The problem I'm having is with the Beckets though. My Home Depot handles won't cut it on a real Sea Chest, and I'm not making much progress on figuring out how to tie these:

http://www.marlinespike.com/beckets.html
 
Kevin the grey said:
Any chance on a pic of the chisel ?
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Promise not to laugh at their crudeness? They are humble tools made by humble hands. The veiner (gouge) that I used to carve the initials and curly cues on the sea chest lid is pictured at center, and has a handle made from a scrap piece of oak. Above it is an antler handled, right handed, half hook, spoon carving knife. Below it is a standard bench or detail knife, with a handle from a scrap piece of white ash. What do they all share in common? Their bits/blades were all made from square cut masonry nails. Such nails are a good grade of high carbon steel, and forge, harden, and temper quite handily.

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Sarge
 

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